| Main Ref. | Myers, R.F., 1991 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | striking shape of body |
| Body shape lateral | eel-like |
| Cross section | circular |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly convex |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | sub-terminal/inferior |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
Colorful congrid with a stiff caudal fin adapted for rapid backward burrowing (Ref. 37816). Description: Characterized by whitish or pale yellow color with dark brown bars/saddles on body; numerous dark brown spots on head; large dark brown spots on dorsal fin; depth of body at gill opening 14-21 in TL; cleft of mouth reaching about middle of the eye; origin of dorsal fin about one-half eye diameter anterior to gill opening; anus well anterior to middle of body; small villiform jaw teeth in multiple rows, tapering posteriorly (Ref. 90102). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | 155 - 159 |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 154 - 159 |
| Attributes | continuous with caudal fin |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 - 0 |
| Ventral 0 - 0 | |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total | |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | |
| Soft-rays total |
| Pectoral | Attributes |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 13 - 14 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes |
| Position | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |